Solar collectors convert solar insolation into usable heat at a useful temperature.
Known solar panel collectors have as typical components a window for reducing the heat loss and passing the solar insolation and an absorber for absorbing the insolation passed by the window(s). A heat transfer fluid such as air or water is typically made to flow through passages in the absorber, or to flow in thermal contact with a surface of the absorber, for removing the heat from the absorber to supply it for the intended purpose.
A disadvantage of such prior art solar collectors is that heat losses occur due to radiation and conduction of heat from the window, absorber or other component. Also, if the working fluid above is a liquid, the temperature of the heat delivered by the solar collector can be limited by the boiling point of the liquid. Further, the maximum amount of delivered heat is limited by the incident insolation.